The Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, recently debuted Phase Two of its million expansion project. Upgrades include a high-limit room with slots and table games and a new bar. Gun Lake Casino Vide President and General Manager Brent Arena said, “We’re thrilled to see the second phase of the expansion completed. These are additional amenities that our guests have asked for and we are happy to provide, as we continue to grow, due to the support of our guests, community and team members.”
Arena said the new high-limit room “will cater to guests who wish to make higher denomination bets on both slots and table games, in a more private atmosphere.” The new bar, Chill, will feature a full selection of beer, wine, and cocktails plus flavored slushy drinks.
In addition, casino officials said construction recently began on a 5-story, 475,000 square foot parking deck with 1,200 parking spaces and four covered floors. It has created 75 jobs and is expected to be completed in summer 2018.
Phase One of Gun Lake’s 73,000 square foot expansion began in May. It will include a 300-seat buffet, additional slots and table games and a new Stage 131 performance area, nearly twice the size of the former Stage 131.
Opened in 2011, Gun Lake Casino is operated by MPM Enterprises LLC, owned by an affiliate of Station Casinos Inc., and private investors from Michigan.
Also last week, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments November 7 in the case of Patchak v. Zinke, where a property owner, David Patchak, sued to try to stop the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, and is still suing seven years after the casino began operation.
The case began with the challenge by Patchak who lives three miles from the casino, which is operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians—which is usually shorted to the Gun Lake Tribe—and claimed that its existence would him by disrupting the nearly pristine wilderness area where he lives. Patchak’s lawsuit challenged the right of the federal government to put land into trust.
It then challenged the legality of Congress protecting that action and specifically banning it from being challenged by lawsuit.
Two weeks ago, the tribe opened the second phase of its $76 million second phase expansion, which includes additional slots, table games, a high limit room and bar. The first phase was a large buffet, more slots and an entertainment venue.
After that the tribe is adding a large parking structure that can accommodate 1,200 cars. Construction is underway with a completion in two years anticipated.
The nut of the case is whether the Gun Lake Trust Land Reaffirmation Act of 2014, which was written to forbid it being challenged in court. Patchak challenged it anyway and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.
It is a doubtful that if the federal government loses the case that the casino will close. However, it could make it harder for future tribal casinos to happen. Several similar bills are in fact being considered in the current session of Congress.
